Mohammed Siraj Likely to Play Ranji Trophy For Hyderabad Against Vidarbha

As the second leg of the Ranji Trophy begins on January 23, the Hyderabad Cricket Association has expressed optimism about Mohammed Siraj’s availability for their January 30 match against Vidarbha in Nagpur.

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Hyderabad, currently sixth in the Elite Group B standings with nine points from five matches, will host Himachal Pradesh on January 23 before travelling to Vidarbha. Jagan Mohan Rao, President of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, confirmed Siraj’s potential inclusion. “I’m not aware of why Siraj is unavailable for the match against Himachal Pradesh, but we hope to see him play against Vidarbha,” Rao said.

Siraj’s Recent Form and National Exclusion

Despite his stellar record in ODIs, Siraj was not named in India’s squad for the England ODIs or the Champions Trophy. Over the last two years, Siraj has claimed 71 wickets in ODIs at an impressive average of 22.97.

In his absence, left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh has been included in the national setup, alongside Jasprit Bumrah (pending fitness), Mohammed Shami, and Hardik Pandya. Siraj’s recent performance in Test cricket also highlights his value; during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, he picked up 20 wickets at an average of 31.15 across five Tests.

“We are not sure if Jasprit Bumrah will play or not. Hence, we wanted someone who can bowl with the new ball and the old one. That is why, we have picked Arshdeep Singh, because of his abilities in the backend. Siraj’s effectiveness comes down if he doesn’t use the new ball. It’s unfortunate if he misses out.”, Indian captain Rohit Sharma had explained.

Star Players Return to Domestic Cricket

The Ranji Trophy will also feature several prominent Indian players. Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra), Rishabh Pant (Delhi), Shubman Gill (Punjab), Rohit Sharma, and Yashasvi Jaiswal (both Mumbai) are all set to participate. However, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli will miss out due to injuries.

The BCCI has introduced a new 10-point policy. As per this policy, it is mandatory for Indian stars to play in domestic tournaments. Failure to do so could result in salary cut and even a ban from participating in the IPL.

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